Questionable
by funkymoleperson
Summary: Kikyo just wanted a break; a nice, quiet afternoon reading and sipping coffee at the café, but he had other plans. One-shot.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha. **

**Summary: Kikyo just wanted a break; a nice, quiet afternoon reading and sipping coffee at the café, but _he_ had other plans. One-shot. **

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Questionable 

He was annoying. Well, more than just annoying. _Very_ annoying. Why couldn't he leave her alone, anyway? All she had come here for was some relaxation, a moment to gather her thoughts together and sip her hot coffee in silence and _may_be just _maybe_ have a break. A break from anything. Everything.

The guy obviously didn't get the message though, lounging down into the chair opposite her, chattering away casually as if she wasn't glaring daggers at him over the top of her novel. Such _brashness_.

"Oh come now, surely you can at least grant me a greeting. An insult. Anything," he said pleasantly, running his hands through his hair and grinning like an idiot. His eyes sparkled with warmth, maybe even a little amusement. Usually people were rather reserved in her presence. Either he had simply been ill informed, or didn't care. Maybe he actually _wanted_ to talk to her.

"Why are you here?" was her only reply. Whether he wanted to talk to her or not, it was unwelcome. He already had someone else in his life; he didn't need her.

"Touchy, Kikyo-san," he responded, reaching out to shake her lightly, "You need to loosen up." The sudden warm pressure on her shoulder made her recoil, and it was only after she had that she realized how good it had felt. No matter. He had had no right to talk to her, to touch her, at all. The look of slight surprise and mild hurt in his eyes was something he deserved. He moved back, elbows idly resting on the table as he looked at her, smile still tacked on, the look she had seen moments before erased.

"Well, I suppose I might've deserved that," he said blandly, not looking concerned, "It's nothing new, after all." Of course, she _knew_ this, but hearing him say it, it was much harder to not feel guilty. She said nothing.

"You know, you're actually quite pretty," he said, a sly look creeping into his features – his face was so _mobile_, so _readable_, so…_open_… "If you opened up to people, I bet you'd have more admirers than you could count. Guys would trip over each other just to impress you, just to please you."

"And who is to say that I want that?" she met his words with a challenge in her eyes.

He leaned towards her, his voice dropping an octave, "Surely it is every girl's dream to be chased after, wanted? Surely you do not want to spend the rest of your life pining away for someone and always being rejected?"

She let out a dry laugh, "Life? What is it anyway?"

"Oh, just a game some of us like to play sometimes," he answered softly, flashing her the grin that he had put down but for a moment, "Though, if you did have admirers, you'll have to accept me chasing them away. When you start opening up to people, that is." The corners of her mouth twitched, but she took a sip of coffee to mask it.

"You already are," her response came back, this time tinged with vague amusement. What a man. Didn't he ever give up?

His eyes widened in true wonderment and then he laughed, "Does it trouble you?"

She found herself shaking her head and absentmindedly saying "No." as she flipped to the next page of her book. Then she froze. He chuckled, and reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She did not respond as quickly this time, draining her coffee in one gulp and _then _choking.

"Flustered are we?" he asked teasingly, before standing up, "Here, I'll get you some more coffee. My treat." Before she could object, he was already at the counter. She hadn't even told him what type of coffee she had been drinking. Maybe he knew anyway. But no, he returned with…it wasn't even coffee…it smelled like…like…hot cocoa…warm…chocolaty…cocoa. Stuff she hadn't had since childhood.

"Somehow, I thought this would do you more good," he said, gently placing the mug in front of her. "Coffee will tense you up, and I don't think that is what you were aiming for."

She tried a small sip, which burned her tongue, but nonetheless rolled around her mouth, sweet and welcome. Soothing. It took all her effort to give him a small smile, but it was obvious that he appreciated it. Even though this awkward…_thing_…that was going on between them would be shattered as soon as they departed, she actually kind of enjoyed it.

"You know," he said thoughtfully, staring up at the ceiling, looking as relaxed and content as she felt, "I think you're opening up to me already." She raised an eyebrow and he just smiled and folded his hands behind his head, looking at her intently. Silence reigned.

"Don't you have…other places to be?" she asked after a time. _People to be with?_

He shook his head, "Only a small social event this afternoon, but I did not feel particularly inclined to go." _Strange,_ she thought, _he doesn't act quite the same way around me as he does _her_. Not that I've actually seen them much…_

"Why? Because you wanted to follow me?" she asked, looking disbelieving. He shrugged.

"Actually, I only decided to talk to you when I saw you sitting there. It's not like I'm _stalking _you, Kikyo-san," came the amused reply, "Did you want me too?" Kikyo snorted and returned to reading, occasionally sipping at her flavorful drink.

"Perhaps," she said boldly, looking at him straight in the eye. What would he normally do in this situation? She knew, but was this a normal situation? He slid out of his chair and walked around the small table until he was a hairsbreadth away and leant in, his breath tickling in her ear. She shivered.

"Then I'll just have to run into you more often, yes?" he whispered, gently tracing her jaw with his forefinger. She did not move away, but did frown, slightly disproving, though had he left his finger there a moment longer, she might not have been able to. He smiled faintly, and then moved to push in his chair.

"May we meet again then," he said in all seriousness, and moved towards the door. She stood up, and, in a moment's decision, followed him. He paused and turned around, though she had said nothing. He seemed to understand without words and opened the door for her, following her out into the evening chill of the wintry air.

The pair stood on the sidewalk in the snow for a little while, before he finally cleared his throat.

"I…need to be going now," he said, looking sideways at her. She did not ask him why, or try to stop him in any way, except for laying his hand lightly on his arm as he flagged a taxi down, and placing a light kiss on his cheek. He looked wistful and faraway, stroking his cheek and standing there next to her. She smiled.

The taxi drove up and he turned to look at her before departing, none of the teasing or joking in his eyes any longer. He looked wondering, amazed. Not overjoyed, like he'd made some catch that he could show off to all his acquaintances, but truly, honestly, glad of the touch. He smiled back.

"Goodbye, Kikyo."

"Goodbye, Miroku."

They met again at the café many times afterwards, each absorbed in their own little lives, but once in a while they would reach out for each other, remembering the kiss on that one winter morning, and knowing that in some ways, the other understood that it was questionable, not official, but still…there…

End

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